358 THE PECCARY. 



of the foot as seldom to touch the ground in walking. The 

 same structure is observed in the Peccaries, with the exception 

 that on their hind feet the outer one of the smaller or posterior 

 toes is entirely wanting, and they have consequently but 

 three toes instead of four. Their head is shorter and broader 

 than that of the hog ; but the moveable snout by which their 

 face is terminated, is proportionally longer, and its flat and 

 truncated extremity is bordered by a more expanded margin. 

 The legs are also slenderer in their proportions ; and the tail, 

 which is scarcely visible among the bristles, instead of being 

 taper, conical, and curled upwards, is extremely short, re- 

 markably flat, and completely pendulous. But the most 

 striking distinction between them and every other known 

 species of quadruped appears to consist in a large gland placed 

 immediately beneath the skin on the middle of the loins, and 

 readily discernible on turning up the long bristles by which it 

 is covered. This operation is, however, far from pleasant, 

 and is besides by no means indispensable ; the filthy and dis- 

 gusting smell emitted by the fluid which is secreted by the 

 gland in large quantities, furnishing of itself a sufficient, and 

 to any sensible nostril a perfectly satisfactory indication of 

 its existence. 



The Peccaries resemble the common hog not more in their 

 form and structure than in their habits, dispositions, and pro- 

 pensities. Their gait is almost precisely similar ; they burrow 

 in the earth after the same fashion ; eat and drink in the same 

 swinish manner ; are fond of the same description of food ; 

 elevate their long bristles like him when terrified or angry ; 

 breathe with the same violent effort ; and express their feel- 

 ings with the same peculiar grunt. They are also equally 

 susceptible of domestication ; or, perhaps we should rather 

 say much more so, if we adopt the wild boar as the type of 

 the domesticated race. When taken young they readily be- 

 come habituated to the society of man ; take as much delight 

 as our pigs in being scratched and scrubbed ; and are speedily 

 reduced to a state of complete subservience. They are not, 

 however, likely ever to become so useful in the farm-yard, for 



